The one that has really been bugging me lately is when people say "<insert title of hobby/career/volunteer work> is my passion." If I were president I'd order a god damned Predator drone strike on anyone who uttered that phrase.

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Oh yes! I find the word "passion" to be greatly overused in general. Every job I apply for wants me to be "passionate" - about the career path or about something. At courses, inductions or even in casual conversation I get asked what I'm "passionate" about. I was always of the impression that passion is a rare thing - that if you're truly passionate about something, then that shows an extraordinary commitment or enjoyment; you're a very rare and lucky person if passion truly takes hold. But it seems passion is now something that everyone is expected to have, like it's the latest fad.

Someone who I would consider about being passionate about his job would be Sir David Attenborough. When he thought he was going to be offer the job of Director General of the BBC, he decided that the only thing he really wanted to do was to make wildlife documentaries and that he was truly passionate about doing that. So we ended up with decades of his wonderful work instead of him sacrificing it to take the top job at the BBC.

Someone who I would consider about being passionate about his job would be Sir David Attenborough. When he thought he was going to be offer the job of Director General of the BBC, he decided that the only thing he really wanted to do was to make wildlife documentaries and that he was truly passionate about doing that. So we ended up with decades of his wonderful work instead of him sacrificing it to take the top job at the BBC.

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I met David Attenborough at a book signing. I told him it was an honour and felt very chuffed indeed. So maybe I'm passionate about David Attenborough?

Someone who I would consider about being passionate about his job would be Sir David Attenborough. When he thought he was going to be offer the job of Director General of the BBC, he decided that the only thing he really wanted to do was to make wildlife documentaries and that he was truly passionate about doing that. So we ended up with decades of his wonderful work instead of him sacrificing it to take the top job at the BBC.

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I met David Attenborough at a book signing. I told him it was an honour and felt very chuffed indeed. So maybe I'm passionate about David Attenborough?

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As many people here know, I am very passionate about David Attenborough, I would be hard-pressed to think of anyone I admire more.

^If it's not work I'd hope that everyone would find something about which they are passionate!

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Of course. In my case, it's baseball. People keep telling me I talk about it too much, but it's really all I *can* talk about. I wish I'd grown up with it, instead of just becoming a baseball fan within the last 5 years or so. I think my life might have been very different if I had.

^If it's not work I'd hope that everyone would find something about which they are passionate!

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Of course. In my case, it's baseball. People keep telling me I talk about it too much, but it's really all I *can* talk about. I wish I'd grown up with it, instead of just becoming a baseball fan within the last 5 years or so. I think my life might have been very different if I had.

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And since you probably have many years of life left, it can still become different...

The one that has really been bugging me lately is when people say "<insert title of hobby/career/volunteer work> is my passion." If I were president I'd order a god damned Predator drone strike on anyone who uttered that phrase.

Click to expand...

Oh yes! I find the word "passion" to be greatly overused in general. Every job I apply for wants me to be "passionate" - about the career path or about something. At courses, inductions or even in casual conversation I get asked what I'm "passionate" about. I was always of the impression that passion is a rare thing - that if you're truly passionate about something, then that shows an extraordinary commitment or enjoyment; you're a very rare and lucky person if passion truly takes hold. But it seems passion is now something that everyone is expected to have, like it's the latest fad.

^If it's not work I'd hope that everyone would find something about which they are passionate!

Click to expand...

Of course. In my case, it's baseball. People keep telling me I talk about it too much, but it's really all I *can* talk about. I wish I'd grown up with it, instead of just becoming a baseball fan within the last 5 years or so. I think my life might have been very different if I had.

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And since you probably have many years of life left, it can still become different...

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True dat! But I wish I could have seen Mark Fidrych in his prime (or, better yet, my favorite player of all time, Dave Dravecky), or watched the '77 World Series, or seen the Padres/Braves brawl at Fulton County Stadium in '84, or even seen old Yankee Stadium before the renovation...

It's not really a saying, but the exchange a few pages back about consoling someone in a tough situation reminds me of an exchange that often happens to me that irritates me.

Person: <explains bad thing that happened to them>
Me: I'm so sorry.
Person: Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong!

I'm not apologizing for doing the bad thing which I obviously didn't do, I'm expressing my sympathy. I'm saying "I'm so sorry that you are in this situation, and I sympathize." Is it really necessary for me to explain that, shouldn't it be obvious from the context?

While "it's gonna be allright / will get better" is a comfort at times, in a situation that you are certain won't improve its use is not really appreciated. It always depends on the situation. For example, it would be pretty foolish to say it to someone who's on the verge of dying. It might, however, be helpful with a kid who fell and hurt a knee.

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I agree. It's all about the context.

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But any religion tells you it's gonna be alright when you're dying. Even most atheists agree that death is better than pain.